Untreated Chlamydia in Men and Women: What to Know

If chlamydia isn't detected and treated promptly, it can cause serious health complications—even if you never had symptoms.

Untreated chlamydia in men can lead to:

• Nongonococcal urethritis (NGU): An infection of the urethra that can cause painful or frequent urination and abnormal genital discharge.
• Epididymitis: Infection of the tube that carries sperm from the testes, causing testicular pain and swelling.
• Proctitis: Inflammation of the rectum.

Untreated chlamydia in women may lead to:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): Can cause chronic pelvic pain and infertility.
• Ectopic pregnancy: When a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus—often in a fallopian tube—which is a medical emergency.
• Pregnancy and newborn complications: Including preterm birth, and eye infection, blindness, or pneumonia in babies born through vaginal delivery.

Chlamydia, a kind of bacterial infection, is one of the most common STDs in both men and women in the United States. As of 2018, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates more than 2.86 million chlamydia infections occur in the United States each year. However, only about 1.76 million of those are reported to the CDC.

The illness is so prevalent (and underreported) because, like asymptomatic herpes, it often doesn’t come with any noticeable symptoms. This means that you can have chlamydia and not realize it, making it easy to unknowingly spread the infection to sex partners. That’s one reason why routine screening for STDs like chlamydia is important. (Test for chlamydia from the privacy of home)

Chlamydia is transmitted through sexual contact, including genital, anal, and oral sex.

If you're pregnant, chlamydia can also spread to your baby during vaginal delivery—potentially causing blindness, pneumonia, or other serious complications. For this reason, the CDC recommends:

• All pregnant women under age 25 should be screened for chlamydia, as well as women over 25 who are at increased risk.
• Women under age 25 or at increased risk should be re-tested during the third trimester.

Anyone who is sexually active can get chlamydia, but it's most common among young adults ages 15 to 24—with estimates suggesting 1 in 20 sexually active young women in this age group have the infection. Men who have sex with men are also at higher risk.

Using protection during sex, such as a latex condom, can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

If symptoms do appear, they typically show up within one to three weeks of exposure. Symptoms vary by sex.

Men may notice:

• Burning or itching of the genitals
• Clear or cloudy genital discharge
• Pain or swelling of the testicles
• Pain or burning during urination

Women may experience:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge, with or without odor
• Itching or burning in or around the vagina during urination
• Pain during periods, sex, or urination
• Vaginal bleeding between periods or after sex

That said, many people with chlamydia have no symptoms at all. An asymptomatic infection can still cause serious harm if left untreated—making regular testing the only reliable way to know your status.

Because chlamydia symptoms overlap with other STIs—like trichomoniasis—testing is the only way to know for certain what you're dealing with.

You have two main options:

• In-person testing: A healthcare provider or STI clinic can test you using a swab of the urethra (men) or cervix (women), or a urine sample. Results are sent to a lab for analysis.
• At-home testing: The Everlywell at-home Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test uses a urine sample and includes everything you need to collect and ship your sample. If your result is positive, you can connect with a physician in our independent network who may prescribe treatment, if appropriate.

Either way, you'll have the information you need to take the right next step—whether that's starting treatment or simply getting peace of mind.

A positive chlamydia result is treatable. Oral antibiotics are typically prescribed, and it's important to complete the full course—even if symptoms resolve before you finish. Your healthcare provider may also recommend that any recent sexual partners get tested and treated.

If you have questions about your specific treatment plan, your healthcare provider is the best resource.

Whether or not you've had chlamydia before, these steps can help protect your sexual health going forward:

• Use protection—like a condom—every time you have sex.
• Get tested for STIs routinely. At-home testing makes it easy to stay on top of your status.
• If you have a new partner, consider getting tested together before becoming sexually active.
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you're experiencing any symptoms of an STI.

To screen for chlamydia from home, try the Everlywell at-home Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Test. Or screen for 5 common STIs at once—including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis C, and trichomoniasis—with the Everlywell At-Home STD Test.